Car show brings a lot of shine to downtown Oroville

Oroville >> Downtown Oroville was cordoned off for pedestrians Saturday, except for about 800 cars in the Show 'n' Shine car show and competition.

Most makes and models were represented, some shiny and new, most shiny and old, and few dull and ready to restore.

In 1948, the year Steve Bognuda was born, his dad brought home an American Austin roadster that was built 18 years earlier.

His dad drove it for a while, but most of the time it sat in the yard, Bognuda explained.

When he was 14 years old, the young Bognuda took it apart, with the intention of putting it back together.

Yet, the car was a stepping stone to other cars Bognuda restored in his youth, mostly hotrods he drove "to be cool" during the 1960s. About seven years ago he unpacked the boxes where most of the roadster had remained for most of his life.

The roadster is rare, and was worth the wait. Only about 20,000 were made from 1930 until 1935, Bognuda explained.

His wife Kathy made her mark on the project as well, by redoing the upholstery.

The shiny, blue car includes a seal for the Sutter County Police, where Bognuda served as chief before retirement.

John Wilson was gently dusting the hood of his 1956 Buick, super, which he bought 24 years ago in Novato. It was in rough shape then, the Lucerne resident explained. His wife picked out the car, which is one of five he has restored.

Restoring cars can be addictive, he said, and many of the regulars at car shows get to know each other over time. How could they not, there's a lot to talk about when it comes to cars.

The Buick is rare, and the only four-door hard top in California, Wilson explained.

Todd Barnes was keeping watch over a 1952 Ford pickup F-11 owned by his son, Landon. The project was restored by local metal and upholstery crafters and mechanics, and the truck was bought as junk, Barnes explained.

Father and son began the project themselves, but his finger literally got in the way, he said, holding up his hand with where one tip of a finger is missing.

The work, which includes all stock engine parts, took nearly two years and was completed about two months ago, the father explained.